Chicago-based rapper and activist Vic Mensa brings a curated art show, entitled SKIN + MASKS, to the Kavi Gupta Gallery. It's an innovative art experience highlighting the experiences of Black individuals and the larger community as a whole. The exhibition debuted on Saturday, June 18, and will be on display until August 13.
The exhibition is featured at Kavi Gupta, a leading contemporary art gallery, in the West Loop. Mensa, a Grammy-nominated artist, kicked off opening day with a musical performance, preceded by an inventive production from Chicago-based designer Nova Zaii.
SKIN + MASKS is inspired by Black Skin, White Masks, a book by Frantz Fanon. The story is a historical critique of the effects of racism, dehumanization, and colonialism on the human psyche.
Nikko Washington.
The works of art on display share a common purpose — “to decolonize Black art beyond the politics of visibility,” according to the exhibition’s press release. Similar to Fanon, the artists utilized their individual perspectives to present collective realities from a variety of angles.
The exhibition features art from seventeen artists, including Chicago-based Andrea Coleman and Hebru Brantley, who was born and raised in Chicago. The other artists bring a diverse set of experiences as well, based in Los Angeles, New York, Florence, Cape Town, Accra, London, and more.
Installation view, SKIN + MASKS, 2022. Kavi Gupta | Elizabeth St.
The pieces represent a range of artistic styles, some taking nods from 19th-century-era black and white images as well as multi-color oil paintings and graffiti-style art.
Born and raised in Hyde Park, Mensa has risen to prominence in the music industry, working with stars like Justin Beiber, Chance the Rapper, and Pharell Williams, among others. The Grammy-nominated rapper, activist, and now art curator has long been aware of the racial and economic disparities in America, turning to art in its many forms to express himself.
“As long as I can remember, I’ve been an artist,” Mensa says, according to Kavi Gupta’s website. “Drawing, singing, painting, rapping, you name it. It’s my lifestyle, my method of self-expression.”
Gerald Williams and Chance the Rapper.
All proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to Mensa's Chicago-based nonprofit, SaveMoneySaveLife. The funds will support several projects, including creating infrastructure and providing resources for young artists in Ghana.